US7481978B2 - Apparatus for aspirating liquids from sealed containers - Google Patents

Apparatus for aspirating liquids from sealed containers Download PDF

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Publication number
US7481978B2
US7481978B2 US11/088,157 US8815705A US7481978B2 US 7481978 B2 US7481978 B2 US 7481978B2 US 8815705 A US8815705 A US 8815705A US 7481978 B2 US7481978 B2 US 7481978B2
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Prior art keywords
tube
probe
linear
stopper
aspiration
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US11/088,157
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US20060216208A1 (en
Inventor
William Weigong Li
Craig R. Veiner
Sergio Cabrera
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Beckman Coulter Inc
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Beckman Coulter Inc
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Priority to US11/088,157 priority Critical patent/US7481978B2/en
Assigned to BECKMAN COULTER, INC. reassignment BECKMAN COULTER, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CABRERA, SERGIO, LI, WILLIAM WEIGONG, VEINER, CRAIG R.
Priority to EP06738192.1A priority patent/EP1883473B1/de
Priority to EP14164466.6A priority patent/EP2754498B1/de
Priority to PCT/US2006/009106 priority patent/WO2006101833A2/en
Priority to JP2008503025A priority patent/JP4969564B2/ja
Publication of US20060216208A1 publication Critical patent/US20060216208A1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/10—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices
    • G01N35/1079—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices with means for piercing stoppers or septums
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L13/00—Cleaning or rinsing apparatus
    • B01L13/02—Cleaning or rinsing apparatus for receptacle or instruments
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
    • B01L3/0289—Apparatus for withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid
    • B01L3/0293—Apparatus for withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid for liquids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L9/00—Supporting devices; Holding devices
    • B01L9/52—Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
    • G01N35/04—Details of the conveyor system
    • G01N2035/0401—Sample carriers, cuvettes or reaction vessels
    • G01N2035/0403—Sample carriers with closing or sealing means
    • G01N2035/0405—Sample carriers with closing or sealing means manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for aspirating liquids, such as biological specimens, from containers for processing.
  • the invention is particularly useful in automated hematology instruments for extracting blood samples from sealed test tubes and the like for analysis.
  • Such instruments typically include a movably-mounted sample aspiration probe that is adapted to puncture a rubber stopper atop a stationary specimen container to access and aspirate the liquid therein.
  • These instruments often include a mechanism for sensing the presence of a specimen container at a desired specimen-aspiration position before the probe is moved in a direction to expose the probe tip, and most instruments include a device for stripping the rubber stopper from the aspirating probe as the probe is withdrawn from the container to prevent the stopper (and the container to which it is sealed) from following the movement of the probe due to frictional forces between the probe and stopper.
  • the stepper motor operates to rotate the lead screw in the reverse direction, thereby raising the probe-supporting arm to a position in which the probe tip clears the top of the tube.
  • a downward force is applied to the stopper during upward movement of the probe.
  • Such force is provided by a relatively massive second arm that extends horizontally, i.e., parallel to the probe-supporting first arm, and hangs downwardly from the first arm in a positioned intermediate the bottom of the first arm and the top of the test tube.
  • the bottom surface of the second arm supports a “foot” that serves, during the downward movement of the first arm, to both guide the vertical travel of the aspiration probe, and to detect and position the underlying test tube so that the center of the rubber stopper is aligned with the path of the probe tip.
  • the apparatus may be viewed as problematic in that it requires repositioning of the entire liquid aspiration apparatus after cap-piercing has been effected to align the aspiration probe with the container axis, and it further requires substantially perfect parallel alignment between two independently movable shafts, i.e., the aspiration probe and the cap-piercing member.
  • the latter can be particularly problematic since any binding friction caused by the misalignment between the two shafts can produce a malfunction of the apparatus.
  • an object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for aspirating a liquid from a sealed container, such as a test tube or the like.
  • the liquid aspirating apparatus of the invention is improved from the standpoint that it is substantially simpler in construction, i.e., it requires fewer components, and it is relatively light in weight, requiring no relatively massive weight to steady the position of the liquid container while the aspiration probe is removed from a stopper that it has punctured to gain access to the liquid to be aspirated.
  • apparatus for aspirating a volume of liquid contained in a sealed tube having a puncturable stopper at one end of the tube comprises the combination of the following elements: (a) a support frame; (b) a first drive motor supported by the frame and adapted, in response to having a first electrical current applied thereto, to selectively and incrementally advance a linear drive member, preferably a lead screw or linear rack, along a predetermined path towards or away from the puncturable stopper on tube, such path being substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the tube; (c) a tube detector/stripper member mounted at one end of the linear drive member, such tube detector/stripper member being adapted to engage the top of the puncturable stopper as the linear drive member is advanced along the predetermined path towards the puncturable stopper, whereby said tube detector/stripper member detects that a tube is in a position to have liquid aspirated therefrom; (d) a second drive motor supported by the linear drive member and being
  • a holding current is applied to the first drive motor, thereby holding the linear drive member in a position in which the tube detector/stripper member exerts a holding force on the top of an underlying tube stopper during removal of the aspiration probe from the tube interior.
  • a linear guide rail is provided to guide the linear drive member along its predetermined path, such linear guide rail being slidably supported by the frame and rigidly connected to the second drive motor, whereby the linear guide rail moves with the linear drive member as the latter is driven along its predetermined path by the first drive motor.
  • the tube-detector/stripper member comprises a housing defining a probe-washing chamber in which the probe tip can be washed after each liquid aspiration.
  • a linear drive member (which is most preferably a lead screw) is acted upon by the first drive motor to position the tube detector/stripper member in contact with a tube stopper.
  • This same drive member further serves as a mechanism by which the second drive motor can be selectively and incrementally advanced towards and away from the sealed tube in order to position the tip of the aspiration probe in a position to aspirate liquid from the sealed tube, as well as to withdraw the probe from the tube.
  • a linear rail that serves to guide the linear drive member along its predetermined (preferably vertical) path so as to detect and properly position an underlying tube stopper, also serves to guide the aspiration probe towards engagement with the center of the tube stopper.
  • FIGS. 1-4 are perspective illustrations of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, showing its various components in different operating positions;
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the tube detector/stripping member of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-4 ;
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of the FIG. 5 apparatus with a portion being in cross-section to reveal the structural details of the probe-washing component;
  • FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective views of a preferred tube-detector/stripper member of the type used in the FIGS. 5 and 6 apparatus;
  • FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the X-Truck assembly of the FIG. 1 apparatus.
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the lead screw/rail assembly of the FIG. 1 apparatus.
  • FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a preferred apparatus 10 for selectively aspirating liquid contained in each of a plurality of sealed containers C supported in an upright orientation by a rack R.
  • each container may be in the form of a conventional test tube or the like having a puncturable stopper S, e.g., made of a suitable rubber or synthetic rubber, that acts to seal the normally open end of the tube.
  • a puncturable stopper S e.g., made of a suitable rubber or synthetic rubber
  • the tubes may vary in size considerably, as illustrated, the tube-support rack operates to arrange their respective longitudinal axes at equal distances and in a common vertical plane. From the description below, it will be appreciated that the liquid aspirating apparatus of the invention is capable of aspirating liquid from any of the various tube sizes that the rack can accommodate.
  • the tube rack remains stationary while the liquid aspiration apparatus moves relative to each tube in order to extract liquid therefrom, one at a time.
  • a rack-transport system associated with a liquid-analyzing instrument system serves to transport individual racks of tubes and to precisely position each rack of containers in the same position in an X/Y plane for liquid aspiration. (Refer to the X/Y/Z coordinate system shown in FIG. 1 .)
  • the liquid aspiration apparatus of the invention need only support a liquid aspiration probe P for movement in an X/Z plane, which is the central vertical plane of the container rack.
  • Apparatus 10 includes a support frame 12 comprising a pair of spaced, parallel end brackets 14 and 15 interconnected by a pair of spaced, parallel rods 16 and 17 .
  • each of the rods has a circular cross-section and, together, they provide a fixed support on which the aspiration probe and its support assembly 20 (described below) can slide horizontally, along the X-axis, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1 .
  • Such movement enables the aspiration probe to be brought into vertical alignment with the central longitudinal axis A′ of each tube in order to sequentially access the liquid contained in each of the tubes.
  • the probe-support assembly 20 is mounted for movement along the X-axis on a truck 22 (best shown in FIG.
  • truck 22 that is slidably-mounted on the cylindrical rods 16 and 17 via a pair of sleeve bearings 23 and 24 carried by the truck housing.
  • the position of the truck along the X axis is controlled by a drive motor M 1 mounted on end bracket 15 .
  • motor M 1 comprises a conventional stepper motor that operates to advance an endless drive belt 26 about a pair of spaced pulleys 28 (only one being shown) rotatably supported by the end brackets 14 and 15 .
  • the drive belt extends parallel to the X-axis, and truck 22 is rigidly connected to one reach of the belt by a clamp 29 .
  • truck 22 follows along, moving laterally, from side-to-side, along the X axis.
  • the probe-support assembly 20 generally operates to selectively advance the aspiration probe P along the (vertical) Z-axis, towards and away from the top surface of an underlying tube stopper S.
  • assembly 20 comprises (i) a pair of drive motors M 2 and M 3 , (ii) a vertically-oriented linear drive member 30 , which preferably takes the form of a precision lead screw (as shown) or a linear rack, (iii) a slidably-mounted and vertically-oriented guide rail 32 , and (iv) a tube detector/stripper assembly 34 .
  • a pair of drive motors M 2 and M 3 preferably takes the form of a precision lead screw (as shown) or a linear rack
  • a slidably-mounted and vertically-oriented guide rail 32 preferably takes the form of a precision lead screw (as shown) or a linear rack
  • a tube detector/stripper assembly 34 As best shown in FIG.
  • the lead screw 30 and guide rail 32 are rigidly connected to each other at their respective ends by a bracket 40 and by a housing 42 comprising the tube-detector/stripper assembly 34 ; thus, it will be appreciated that the lead screw 30 is not free to rotate.
  • Each of the drive motors M 2 and M 3 preferably comprises a conventional stepper motor that receives control signals from a suitably programmed microprocessor that directs the activity of the aspiration apparatus.
  • Drive motor M 2 referred to herein as the “stripper motor,” is an integral part of the housing of truck 22 ; thus, the stripper motor is slidably-supported on the frame 12 for movement along rails 16 and 17 , i.e., along the X-axis. As best shown in FIG. 2 , the weight of motor M 2 is supported primarily by rail 17 .
  • drive member 30 comprises a conventional lead screw
  • motor M 2 contains a rotatably-mounted nut having an internal thread that drivingly-engages the spirally wound thread of the lead screw. In response to an energizing current, motor M 2 operates to incrementally rotate such nut, thereby advancing the lead screw axially, with respect to the motor housing, along the Z-axis.
  • the lower end 30 B of the lead screw is attached to the tube detector/stripper assembly 34 .
  • assembly 34 moves from a position in which it is spaced from an underlying stoppered tube, to a position in which its inverted cup-shaped tube-positioning member 36 is located in pressing contact with the top surface of a tube stopper S.
  • Vertical movement of the lead screw is guided by the above-mentioned linear guide rail 32 which is slidably-mounted for precise vertical movement in a track 38 carried by the truck 22 (see FIG. 8 ).
  • the guide rail 32 is slidably-mounted within track 38 .
  • One end 39 A of a U-shaped channel member 39 (best shown in FIG. 9 ) connected to rail 38 acts as a sensor flag, which interacts with sensor 70 carried by truck 22 to sense the upper and lower traveling limits of the guide rail 32 . Since the lead screw and guide rail are interconnected at their respective ends, energization of the stripper motor M 2 causes the entire lead screw/guide rail assembly (shown in FIG. 9 ) to move vertically, precisely along the Z-axis, as guided by track 38 .
  • the tube rack R comprises a plurality of tube compartments, each containing a pair of opposing spring-loaded members which act on opposite sides of a tube within a compartment to align the tube axis with the central axis of each compartment and with a nominal axis. Owing to slight differences in spring constants, manufacturing tolerances, etc., the actual axis of each tube may be slightly offset from the nominal axis.
  • member 36 will operate to slightly adjust the lateral position of underlying tube stopper as member moves downward. Such adjustment will cause the center of the stopper to be brought into alignment with the aspiration probe which passes through an aperture formed in the center of member 36 .
  • the continued operation of stripper motor M 2 after the tube-positioning member 36 engages a tube stopper will cause member 36 , and the stripper member housing 75 (shown in FIG. 6 ) of which it is an integral part, to slide upwardly (e.g., by several millimeters) in its support housing 42 and against the restoring force of an internal compression spring 44 , also shown in FIG. 6 .
  • a flag 46 rigidly connected to such member and made of a ferromagnetic material, will move between the oppositing magnetic pole pieces 48 , 50 of a magnetic sensor 51 mounted atop housing 42 , thus initiating a control signal to stop the driving current applied to motor M 2 .
  • a holding current will continue to be applied to the motor M 2 to maintain the vertical position of the lead screw and to maintain pressure on the tube stopper throughout the aspiration and stopper-stripping steps to follow.
  • an energizing current is applied to the drive motor M 3 , referred to herein as the “piercing probe motor.”
  • the piercing probe motor M 3 may be substantially identical to that of stripper motor M 2 ; preferably, however, motor M 3 further includes an encoder to precisely control the vertical position of the probe tip.
  • the piercing probe motor M 3 is totally supported by the lead screw 30 passing through it; however, motor M 3 is mechanically connected to the linear guide rail 32 via a slider member 58 that is mounted for sliding movement along the guide rail.
  • motor M 3 in response to an energizing current being applied thereto, motor M 3 will move axially along the axis of the lead screw 30 in a direction determined by the polarity of the energizing current.
  • the aspiration probe will be driven in a downward direction from its “home” position, shown in FIG. 3 , to its liquid-aspiration, shown in FIG. 4 , where the tip of the aspiration probe has punctured the tube stopper and is submerged in the liquid L to be aspirated.
  • the probe holder 52 which engages and supports the top end of the aspiration probe, is rigidly mounted on slider member 58 ; thus, as the slider member moves vertically along rail 32 under the force applied by motor M 3 , the probe moves accordingly.
  • the probe's home position is detected by a second magnetic sensor 60 comprising a spaced pair of magnetic pole pieces 61 and 62 of opposite polarity mounted on a flange extending from guide rail 32 .
  • a flag 64 of ferromagnetic material carried by the probe holder 52 produces a detectable change in the magnetic flux between the pole pieces when the probe is in its home position.
  • the home position of the piercing probe motor M 3 is detected by a third magnetic sensor 70 mounted on the truck 22 (see FIG. 8 ). Sensor 70 detects a flag (not shown) carried by the housing of motor M 3 .
  • a suitable photoelectric sensor could be substituted for any or all of the magnetic sensors 51 , 60 and 70 .
  • the requisite tubing by which the liquid aspirated by the probe is transmitted to a metering or processing station is not shown for the sake of clarity.
  • the distal end of the probe is initially shielded in a probe-washing station which, as explained below, is preferably a part of assembly 34 .
  • the piercing probe motor M 3 is operated in a reverse direction to raise the mechanically-linked probe and to return it to its home position.
  • the holding current applied to the stripper motor maintains the spring-biased engagement between the tube-positioning member 36 and the tube stopper. This engagement prevents the tube stopper from following, due to frictional forces, the movement of the probe as the latter is withdrawn from the tube and, in effect, strips the stopper from the probe.
  • the tube-detector/stripper assembly 34 is shown as comprising the above-noted inverted cup-shaped tube-positioning member detector 36 .
  • the latter is an integral part of a stripper member housing 75 that is slidably-mounted within the stripper assembly housing 42 .
  • the cup-shaped member 36 is designed to center a tube precisely on the probe axis as member 36 descends upon a tube stopper and, in doing so, detect the presence of a tube for liquid aspiration.
  • the stripper member housing has a central channel 76 that normally surrounds the distal portion of the probe, including the probe tip, when the probe is not being used to aspirate liquid.
  • Housing 75 also comprises an integral concave circular tray 78 at its top that serves to collect drops or film of aspirated liquid that may cling to the probe surface after aspiration.
  • Tray 78 has a central opening 79 through which the probe enters channel 76 .
  • the afore-noted compression spring 44 surrounds a central stem portion 80 of housing 75 and is supported between a shoulder 75 on housing 75 and an inside wall 42 A of housing 42 .
  • the stripper housing further defines a probe washing station comprising an input port 82 through which a washing liquid can be introduced into the probe channel 76 from an external pressurized source, and a waste port 84 through which the washing liquid is collected during the washing process.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
US11/088,157 2005-03-23 2005-03-23 Apparatus for aspirating liquids from sealed containers Active 2027-01-16 US7481978B2 (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/088,157 US7481978B2 (en) 2005-03-23 2005-03-23 Apparatus for aspirating liquids from sealed containers
EP06738192.1A EP1883473B1 (de) 2005-03-23 2006-03-16 Verfahren und vorrichtung zur flüssigkeitsaspiration aus versiegelten behältern
EP14164466.6A EP2754498B1 (de) 2005-03-23 2006-03-16 Verfahren Und Vorrichtung Zur Flüssigkeitsaspiration Aus Versiegelten Behältern
PCT/US2006/009106 WO2006101833A2 (en) 2005-03-23 2006-03-16 Apparatus for aspirating liquids from sealed containers
JP2008503025A JP4969564B2 (ja) 2005-03-23 2006-03-16 密封容器から液体を吸引するための装置

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/088,157 US7481978B2 (en) 2005-03-23 2005-03-23 Apparatus for aspirating liquids from sealed containers

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US20060216208A1 US20060216208A1 (en) 2006-09-28
US7481978B2 true US7481978B2 (en) 2009-01-27

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EP (2) EP1883473B1 (de)
JP (1) JP4969564B2 (de)
WO (1) WO2006101833A2 (de)

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US10401209B2 (en) 2016-06-22 2019-09-03 Abbott Laboratories Liquid level sensing apparatus and related methods
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US20060216208A1 (en) 2006-09-28
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WO2006101833A3 (en) 2009-04-16
EP1883473A4 (de) 2013-06-12
JP4969564B2 (ja) 2012-07-04
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WO2006101833A2 (en) 2006-09-28
EP1883473B1 (de) 2015-03-04

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